A Dream Beyond The Stars
by SumOfAllZeroes
Summary: Time and the world...do not stand still. Change is the law of life. Those who look only to the past, or the present...are certain to miss the future. Tali X Shepard romance.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Hey yo, fancy people of the Internet! Y'all looking fine right now! Anyway, today I was sitting in a testing room, bored as hell, and I decided to write this since I had nothing else to do. Well, besides work on other stories...Ideas do not come to me gracefully... Zero-san need better discipline...

In any case, this is my first foray into this series, so expect a few errors, breaking the fourth wall, and some goddamn swears.

Also this follows the 'Tali proven innocent' and 'Shepard destroys the reapers' ideas. I like both of the other two, but...I'm not sure how to bring back a character from material disintegration/too lazy to do it.

Now that we've mostly set up the frame story, let's hit the gas! Oh Kurt!

**Kurt Cobain: I have no idea who this guy is, but he doesn't own a single thing mentioned in here.**

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><p><strong>Mass Effect: Dreams Beyond the Stars<strong>

A story by SumOfAllZeroes/ThatOneChickenGuy

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><p><strong><span>Chapter 1: We Are Not Alone<span>**

_Adrenaline wracks the Quarian's body, punching it into overdrive. Shrapnel flies like shuriken cutting through the air, shredding her suit. The impact and detonation proves too much and the Quarian blanks out._

_Gurneys and stumbling encompass her vision. When she is finally able to see, what she sees knocks her heart into her throat._

_There on top of the hill, wounded, battered and scarred, stands the object of her affections. They lock eyes for but fleeting seconds before the deafening sound of a new explosion rocks the rich soil loose. The Quarian's face freezes in a silent scream._

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><p><strong>SSV Normandy SR-2, 01:02. Residence of Tali'Zorah vas Normandy<strong>

"AAAH!" Tali woke with a start, suit drenched with sweat and heart drenched in fear. Every night had been the same. The same horrible dream over and over. Someone, her loved one killed in battle before her very eyes and no matter what she tried, it never changed. It had all started at the end of her first cycle on the Normandy. Having known the apple of her romantic eye for a while allowed for a quick view into his emotions.

After news broke of the destruction of the Normandy SR-1, Tali nearly had a full blown heart attack. Desperate for more information, Tali inquired more and more frequently for missions in quadrants near the detonation site. Many, many moments had gone by that had worried her, but none more so than these vision, premonitions, whatever they were. Now, as she sat up, heart finally stabilizing, she stood and began to move to the one place she knew she could go to for an answer…

**SSV Normandy SR-2, 01:12, Yeoman's Office**

Tali hit the doorbell outside the yeoman's office. After 10 minutes of wait time and several muttered obscenities, Tali went to ring the bell again only for the door to slide open of its own accord.

"Kelly?" Tali called into the faintly lit room.

There before her, asleep at her desk, was Kelly Chambers, a piece of pink paper stuck to her head. Considering that Tali had spent the past three days waking up from horrid hallucinations, what would ordinarily be considered chuckle-worthy lost its luster considerably.

"Kelly." Tali gently shook the Yeoman awake.

"Huh...Jack, get your loopy ass back here. The purple dragon isn't real, it's just heroin. You'll never catch it."

Now that was something to laugh at. Tali couldn't help but to burst out laughing, causing Kelly to leap from her chair.

"Huh? Wha- Oh, Tali. What are you doing here?"

"Sorry to bother you, Kelly, but I have a bit of a psychological issue that couldn't wait till tomorrow." The Yeoman nodded her head.

"Step into my office."

"I think I did already." Tali inched forward, taking a seat across from Kelly.

"Alright, what is this issue you spoke of?" Kelly inquired, groggily rubbing her eyes, trying to wake up.

"Well...I'm not sure how to accurately state what these are…"

"Okay, let's break this down." Kelly brought out a blank data pad and stylus. "Is this a singular instance of occurrence, multiple instances of different occurrences or a repeating phenomenon?"

Tali brought her knees to her chest.

"It's the same thing...over and over." Kelly began scribbling frantically on the datapad.

"Is the phenomenon visual, auditory, tactile or all of them?"

"All."

"And what do you see?" Tali began explaining the scene as she left it. Explosions, flying shrapnel, a gurney. Shredded armour and one last look in her beau's eyes before he was consumed by fire.

"So this…"

"Man."

"Man...is someone you hold close to your heart?" Tali nodded.

"It seemed more than just a platonic thing."

"How could you tell?" Tali leaned back, resting her chin- or the helmet-equivalent of her chin- on her left knuckles.

"I…wasn't one hundred percent sure who but...the feeling I got from them was that of someone I had spent much of my time with." Kelly finished scribbling on the data pad, and rose to make tea.

After returning, she passed the tea to Tali.

"Well Tali, I have a hypothesis. Normally, the significance of seeing an unknown person in a dream signifies self-repression. A part of you is trying to express itself. Additionally, the sight of an explosion would normally act as a tell-tale sign of pent up aggression needing to be released. However, you described the explosion as auditory and then tactile. Auditory explosions are described as a sudden release of previously unknown information. It would probably be best if we started by trying to figure out who this person is." Tali began wracking her brain for details.

"I can remember a few things. First, he wasn't alien." Kelly raised an eyebrow.

"Also, he appeared to be the average height for a quarian, only slightly taller than me."

"That narrows down the search a considerable amount. Any other features?"

" Well...I can remember one more thing. The person appeared to be wearing N...7 ...Armor."

Realization came over both of them, albeit with the addition of a massive blush on Tali's end.

"Oh cosmos, it's Shepard!" Tali began motioning frantically for something to cool down her rapidly overheating suit and… bodily areas. Kelly obliged, pulling out a comedically sized water cooler bottle and handing it to the blazingly hot-heat-wise could easily be determined, and Kelly decided to let Shepard be the judge of attractiveness-quarian girl.

A full hour later, Kelly was fully convinced now that:

Tali had officially established the newest entry in the Normandy's longest blush and most extreme blush records.

Quarians could drink a **_shit_** ton of water when trying to avoid being embarrassed.

Tali had to have had multiple stomachs and kidneys to be able to drimk all the water cooler bottles in the west wing of the Normandy.

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><p>"Are you okay now?" Tali frantically nodded as the AC in her suit kicked in.

"Alright now, should I tell Shepard or do you want to tell him?"

"NO! I'll do it; I have a strong feeling that I should be the one to tell Shepard." Tali objected. Kelly gave an unusual fangirl-ish squeal.

"Okay, okay, I know exactly what you need to say! What you need to do is take him somewhere private, take his hand in yours and-" Kelly dropped, as tired as the dead.

Tali sighed and gently placed a blanket over Kelly's shoulders as she left to get what little sleep she could and to ponder how to communicate her intent to Shepard.

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><p><strong>AN: **And Chapter one is down! If you genuinely stuck it through till the end, I want to thank you for that. Please leave ratings and comments for the chapter including what you want to see happen. Expect more later including interactions with Jack and Mordin! That's all for now! PM me with any questions!

*elevator noise*

**\M/-Zero-\M/**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Aaaand we're back. Ladies, gentlemen and non-binaries, I have something of grave importance to express unto you all: I am balancing an egg on my head while I write this. At any rate, I hope all of you had/are having a wonderful holiday season (Zero don't say merry Christmas!) and this chapter is my late Saturnalia gift to all of you. Also, I'm gonna end this at four or five chapters, the last one being a Christmas special.

That's about all I got. Rate/review/PM or do all of these. Either way, next chapter's up tomorrow.

...Damn it, my automatic scene transition isn't working. KAKASHI!

**Kakashi Hatake: Zero-san owns none of the series referenced herein. And he sincerely apologizes for so much chuckling.**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: Come Clean (Also unoriginal title, originally found on Puddle of Mudd album)<strong>

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><p><strong><span>Shepard's Cabin, Normandy SR-2, 08:38<span>**

"**EEEP EEEP EEEP! EEEP EEEP EEEP! EEEP EEEP E-****_*crunch*_**" Shepard crushed the blaring alarm, clenching his fist roughly around the small device. With a small scratch at his five-o'clock-shadow, and a snatch of his coffee pot, Shepard began his rounds.

**(...)**

"Morning, Shepard!" Shepard gave his assistant a curt nod.

"Anything new?" Shepard inquired.

"Only one. It was marked your eyes only, so I held onto it for you." Kelly passed him a data tape hastily marked **'For Shepard only'** on the side.

"Thanks Kelly. You wouldn't have happened to have seen what was on the menu for breakfast, would you?" Kelly flipped through a few papers.

"Today is bacon, eggs and pancakes, and it's open bar till Sunday." Kelly knew that Shepard enjoyed Irish cream with his breakfast.

"Alright, I'll be in my office. Do me a favor and have a platter sent up, OK?"

"Fish and chips, french toast and half a watermelon. Got it." The Yeoman teased.

Shepard closed the door to his quarters. After a quick shower-shave-change sequence, Shepard grabbed his breakfast and hit 'PLAY' on the data tape.

_**"Shepard. It's Tali. I'd like to talk to you a bit later. Please meet me on the portside balcony around 2200 hours. I'll elaborate on what this is for there. Oh, and...thank you. Tali out."**_ The tape stopped.

'Well, not even five minutes on call and the day's looking more interesting by the second.' The former Spectre mused before turning his attention to the bane of all officials-no, scratch that, all sentient organisms'- collective existence: paperwork.

**(In the interest of time…)**

After a full day in transit dropping off goods to select systems, Shepard made his way down to the Engineering Deck. As expected, Tali stood at her station, looking over some last minute repairs to be made before the next day. She seemed to anticipate him by the sound of his boots smacking against the Normandy's floors.

"Shepard, I see you received my message." Her sentence structure was unusually formal, at least for Shepard, and her voice came off as almost...anxious.

"What's up?" The Quarian motioned towards herself.

"Please, let's take a walk." Shepard, deciding that a little post-exercise leg stretch was in order, agreed, following Tali portside.

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><p>The Balconies on the Normandy were installed a week before Shepard's resurrection. It seemed that even while indoctrinated, the Illusive Man always had a flair for aesthetics. No matter which side you looked at, there was always a wonderful view of nearby galaxies in close to the sharpest clarity possible.<p>

"Alright, so what was it you needed, Tali?" Shepard asked as he leant against a rail.

Tali gathered her wits about her as she began to speak purely from her heart.

"Well Shepard, I've been having a… vision… lately. A fairly disturbing one." Shepard nodded, patiently waiting for Tali's elaboration. Tali explained her story entirely, minus a few key parts. Shepard listened intently, occasionally asking a question or two about the vision.

"So the vision was of the Reapers killing me." Shepard gave a rudimentary summarization.

"Basically." Shepard gave a reassuring smile.

"Well Tali, I don't intend on dying anytime soon. That being said, if it makes you feel more at ease, I'll never let my skills stagnate." Leave it to Shepard to make being on the receiving end of a death-beaming into nonexistence sound like a cakewalk.

Then again, he was technically undead.

"Tali?"

"Huh?" Shepard chuckled.

"I asked if you had anything else you wanted to talk about."

"Um… Maybe just what we usually talk about." Tali said, fidgeting with her fingers.

"I did have a question I'd like to ask." Tali perked up, listening intently.

"What's it like spending life in a suit like that?" Tali sweated on the inside.

"Well… How should I put this? It's difficult beyond description, like describing colour to the blind. Quarian children live in sanitized bubbles up until their 10th birthday. If the child is viewed as mature enough, socially or otherwise, they receive an environment suit. After they receive the suit, they keep it until they die. However, some would view death as a reprieve.

"The average Quarian immune system cannot handle contact with advanced state bacteria or viruses. If an average Quarian contracted the pneumonia virus, that person would have to be taken to the hospital within 15 minutes. It's because of this that the most intimate thing that we-er, Quarians! I meant Quarians!-can do is link suit environments. We get an allergic reaction from each other and then adapt. It's...well, a letdown, to say the least. Even so, the only person I would trust that much is y-" Tali realized what she was saying, quickly clasping her hands over her mouthpiece. Shepard gave a wry smile.

"Tali?"

"Y-yes?" Shepard leaned in for dramatic effect.

"Are you blushing?" Tali blushed even harder.

"N-no! D-d-don't be ridiculous! I'm definitely n-not blushing. It's just that the r-ritual signifies both tr-trust and a willingness for intimacy... I d-didn't mean f-for... I wasn't just staring at-"

Shepard shushed her before anymore slips came up.

"Tali, I understand." The quarian's eyes widened. "I'll admit, the time I've known you for has been great. But-" Tali flinched in anticipatory fear of what came next.

"If you can be as safe and sound as I intend to be in the future, then it would be my honor to know you on a deeper level." Tali's eyes gleamed with tears of joy.

"Really?" Shepard nodded before hugging Tali.

"Really, really." Tali locked eyes with Shepard. Deep sea-blue eyes gazed back, full of truth and honesty. Tali hugged her beau tighter, her mask filtering out the now free-flowing tears of joy.

"Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!" Shepard smiled at the girl's antics, holding her close.

"Any time. C'mon, let's head back to my cabin for a while." Tali happily obliged.

**(The next day…)**

The next morning, Tali awoke in a haze. Vague memories of a beautiful dream danced through her head; an evening with Shepard, of confession, acceptance, love and jubilation. She had passed it off as a psychological fantasy, that she had merely dreamt all of yesterday up; that is, until she started looking around.

'Keelah, where am I?' The quarian wondered. The bed she had slept in was far softer than the one she slept in every night. Additionally, the scent of cooking food, mixed in with oceanic breeze, wafted through the air. The room temperature felt wonderful on the girl's skin.

'Wait...where's my suit?' Tali sat up, frantically looking around the room. While her suit remained missing, she ended up stumbling across a note, as well as...a hooded sweatshirt and a pair of track pants?

_**' Good morning Tali!**_

_**In case you wake up before I finish making breakfast, your suit is currently drying off. I made sure to wash it -electronics separate, of course-and the clothes next to you have been sanitized to all hell. Keep them.**_

_**And just in case you aren't sure if last night really happened...it did. And it was beautiful.**_

_**Breakfast should be ready by now. **_

_***elevator noise***_

_**-Shepard'**_

Tali couldn't help but laugh at the last part. After getting dressed-Shepard's clothes fit comfortably, she had to admit-she went to greet the captain in the kitchen.

There, adding the finishing touches on a wonderful breakfast while singing along to traditional Italian music, was a tee shirt and boxer-clad Shepard. The girl quietly walked up behind the impromptu chef, greeting him with a hug.

"Well, good morning Sleeping Beauty." The Quarian girl laughed merrily.

"And how might you be doing, Romeo Montague?" Shepard cracked a smile.

"Much better now that I have you. Just making a little breakfast. I could have had it sent up, but it was a labor of love." Tali hummed her approval, resting her head on his shoulder.

"Shepard, do you...do you really think that we can make this work?"

"Well, I'll admit that what we're going up against isn't gonna be easy. But-" Shepard paused after turning off the burners on his oven, a smile gracing his face.

"I've never known any Shepard willing to give up due to a few obstacles in the way. So yeah, we're gonna do just fine, **_Tali'Shepard._**"

Tali gasped lightly.

"D-do you really…?"

"Mean it? Yes I do, and Shepards protect their own. No matter what." For the second time in under twelve hours, Tali cried happy tears, locking Shepard in a 'Tali hug'.

"Keelah, Shepard...Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me." Shepard chuckled.

"Well, if anything I saw yesterday was an indicator, I'd say that I have a pretty good idea." Tali lightly jabbed Shepard in the ribs.

"Pervert." Shepard placed plates, glasses and forks on his desk table, making room on his chair for Tali. One breakfast chat later, Shepard handed Tali her freshly dried suit and the electronics. Tali obliged, placing her rebreather over her face, pulling back her hair into the hood. Shepard raised an eyebrow.

"What? I like the hoodie I have on." Shepard just smiled and shook his head. Now finished with breakfast, the two cleaned up and headed out to work.

"Any messages, Kelly?" The yeoman smiled.

"Yep, Jack wants to see you." The captain nodded and gave a brief thank you before getting on the elevator.

**(Elevator muzak later…)**

"Shepard."

"Jack. You called?" The captain greeted.

"Yeah. Overheard a little bit of your conversation with Tali last night...among other things." Shepard blushed. "Heard your girlfriend was a little concerned about you living through the mission. I'm offering to help make sure your biotics don't suck."

"Alright, sounds good."

"Any questions before I start the tort-lesson?" Shepard thought for a moment.

"Two. One, did you hear…?" Jack flicked her hand in a dismissive manner.

" Nothing that wouldn't scar a krogan psychologically. Plus I saw the new threads. Not bad for a wardrobe change." Shepard sweat-dropped. "Number two?"

"Know any good omni-tattoo artists?" Jack gave a very chibi-like grin as she held up a tattoo pen.

_'What the hell did I just get myself into?'_

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><p><strong>AN: **Well, there you have it! Chapter two is down! Anyway, thank you for reading! If you enjoyed this story, please review or shoot off a PM. Next chapter's coming out next year. Until then, watch the skies, for Ragnorak the Seagull King draweth nigh...

*ELEVATOR NOISE*

**\M/-Zero-\M/**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Ladies, gentlemen, non-binaries... you get the drill. Anyway, readers of this story, this will be the last real chapter of this story. Tomorrow's chapter will be a little blooper holiday special for laughs. I would appreciate reviews or PMs the most. If you enjoyed this, please favorite the story.

Without any further ado, Chapter 3 of A Dream Beyond the Stars.

While my grandfather could have easily drowned a crocodile with his bare hands, I do not own anything mentioned in this story. I'm just a crazy fan.

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Big Empty<strong>

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><p>"But... I have a home."<p>

Five words was all it took for Shepard's tears to roll. Over time, Shepard and Tali's hearts only grew fonder for one another. Every moment they spent, fighting geth, political battles, running from thresher maws, even Shepard having to kill a few robotic spiders that Garrus 'accidentally' calibrated, they spent together. This led to quite a few learning experiences along the way; namely, the discovery that Shepard was extremely ticklish on his sides. Which, during the more frequent of their "cuddle sessions", Tali enjoyed exploiting beyond what was normal.

Shepard loved those moments with his girlfriend. Not just for the time he had to spend with her, but because she was one of the only people that could really relate to him since his mom passed on.

Now, all that stood between them and Rannoch was the activation of the Crucible.

"I know." Shepard cried, leaning into Tali's shoulder. "And your home will never leave you. Shepard's code."

Taking the biggest risk possible at that moment, Tali quickly undid her oxygen mask, kissing Shepard through a procedure mask she wore underneath.

"I love you, Shepard."

"Keelah sel'ai, Tali'Shepard." With that, Shepard marched out onto the battlefield. His spot was quickly held by Jack.

"Tali, I have something you need to see." Tali hobbled closer to Jack.

"What is it?" Jack smirked as Tali's wounds finished melding together..

"I gave your boyfriend's biotics a little boost to help deal with any of the nastier baddies on the field there. Plus I got a tracker on his omni-tat; not only to help locate him, but it'll boost shields when he needs it." Tali relaxed visibly.

"Keelah. Thank you Jac- wait, Shepard has an omni-tattoo?" Jack grinned.

"Well...he wanted a piece that would make it easier to identify himself under rubble. So… I'll admit that I may have gone overboard on the symbol I made for you, but this was a bit more… touchy-feely." Jack held up a picture of a finished omni-tattoo, a dream-catcher encasing kanji for 'home'.

"He… got it for me?" Jack cackled.

"Are you kidding? He wouldn't shut up about you!"

"Aww… wait… where did he get it?"

"Oh, just below his pec muscles." Jack gave a creepy grin, somehow bridging the difference between sadistic and innocent.

"Want one to match?" Jack held up her tattoo pen.

Tali's eyes widened, blushing all the way.

**(Meanwhile… )**

"Grunt! Throw me to the Crucible!" Shepard yelled.

"Okay." Grunt grabbed Shepard , preparing to throw him like a football.

_'This is it; the big one!'_ Shepard thought.

"One final push, team! For Earth! For the Normandy! For our future! FOR NARNIAAAAAAAA!" Shepard gave a rallying cry.

"I….AM….**KROGAAAAAAAN**!" Grunt hurled Shepard zionward.

"LEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEROOOOOOOYYYY-"

**(Crucible, 2 miles away)**

"-JEEEEEEEEEEEEEEENKINS!" Shepard tumbled into the midst of the Crucible. From where he was now, he could tell that he had three options on how to disable the Reapers.

'I could destroy them, which, while simple and straightforward, could negatively affect synthetics. I could integrate myself with the Reaper's OS, thus controlling them, but that would also allow the Reapers' suggestive influence to eventually take over.

'The most logical choice appears to be linking my DNA coding with the Crucible's beam, which would render all life in the universe transcendent. However, it would eventually fail since the Reapers could restart the process with indoctrination. Wait… I understand now… This can't be the Crucible. A weapon of this much importance wouldn't have so many blatant weaknesses. The fuel cells are exposed, my pistol is unloaded but can still fire, one path leads into the beam, and the controls would be at least slightly more complex.'

"Indoctrination." He whispered to himself.

"Excellent detective work, dear Watson." A familiar voice hissed behind him.

"Illusive Man. Or is that just the illusory form you wrapped around yourself?" The Illusive Man doppelganger gave a hollow laugh.

"Clever, clever boy. Anyway, you passed the first half of my test." The room began to shift and change back to its genuine form.

"I presume that there's a catch?"

"Exactly. While you've proven your capabilities to see through deception and make informed decisions, there is but one thing left, dear Dante; in order to secure the safety of the civilization you know, you must sacrifice one of the key facets of your life. Be careful in what you choose to give up; you may best the Reapers, but they may also consume you." The Illusive Man sat back, awaiting Shepard's final answer.

Shepard paused, his face contorting in serious thought.

"My hatred," The Illusive Man raised an eyebrow.

"The Reapers… everything about them, from the consumption of societies and cultures, destruction, indoctrination… They're a metaphor. The cycle of their emergence is a metaphor for the cycle of hatred. The connection between both species isn't limited to intelligence… it's hatred."

The Illusive Man drummed his fingers together.

"I see. Is that your final answer?" Shepard gave a firm nod.

The Illusive Man smiled, holding up a detonator.

"Congratulations Shepard… you pass." The Illusive Man pressed the button, as Reapers throughout the galaxy Shepard turned to leave, the world around him erupted in an explosion of a litany of colour, encompassing everything in a wave of light…

**Normandy SR-2, Medical Bay, 04:34, 2 days after the destruction of the Reapers**

The steady tone of an electrocardiograph broke the stillness of Shepard's hospital room. As Shepard began to sit up, he found that both his arms were weighed down. There, tucked into his arms, were Tali and Jack, both fast asleep.

"Whaa...Tali? Jack?" Both girls began to stir.

"...Mmm… Shepard, you know I'm ticklish… "

"... Sure Tali, I'll have a little fun with you and Shep-" Both girls saw Shepard.

"SHEP/SHEPARD!" Shepard found his ribs crushed on both sides.

"TOO TIGHT, TOO TIGHT!" Both girls immediately released their holds around Shepard's abdomen, grinning sheepishly.

"Hehe, sorry. Uber-biotic, remember?" Shepard chuckled.

"I suppose. How long was I out?"

"Only a few days. We found you seven or eight feet away from the Crucible's trigger. Damn thing tossed you across the room like a ragdoll." Jack replied

"Mordin did a diagnostics check. You had five or six broken ribs, one of which almost punctured your lungs… I was so worried… " Tali gently hugged Shepard.

Shepard took the offered gesture, motioning for Jack to join in.

"...Oh all right." Jack hugged both Tali and Shepard. "Don't expect me to be all touchy feely just because you saved the world for the eighth time."

"I expected Tali, but why are you here, Jack?" Jack started blushing.

"U-um…"

"She said that she wished to discuss something with me. Correct?" Tali's head tilted to the side.

"Yeah, I did, now that I think about it." Jack got up.

"Uh, Cap, we're just gonna… go over here…" Jack yanked Tali outside of the med bay. As he dressed, he could hear snippets of what was being said:

"So what did you want to ask...What's that?...Well, quarians don't exactly get out much...Okay... You...Me...Shepard...What?...Well...Yes, we have done that...You want to do _that_ with _us?_ I mean...sure I'm interested...I'll talk to Shepard about it later."

Shepard gave a silent chuckle at Jack's perverted antics.

_'Well, I guess a hero deserves an indulgence or two eventually.'_

Shepard stepped onto the CIC, one arm around Tali's waist, the other around Jack's neck. He knew now that, at least the Milky Way had reached a sort of uneasy peace. Elsewhere, the fires of hatred silently burned themselves out.

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><p>Sometimes, it takes only one action to change everything. People act independently of the illusion of fate, affected by the events of their lives, working to improve the lives of others. There may not be as many good individuals as there are negative, But sometimes, it needs only one person.<p>

Sometimes it takes a Shepherd.

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><p><strong>AN:** Chapter 3 wrapped up like a Snuggie in a washing machine! Again, rate/review/PM if you enjoyed. Holiday special tomorrow. See ya then!

*shave and a haircut*

**\M/-Zero-\M/**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Ladies, gents and non binaries, here is a bonus chapter that serves as an epilogue to this story. Please PM/comment to suggest new stories or material and follow or favorite if you enjoyed the story.

Without further ado, the Epilogue to A Dream Beyond The Stars.

***insert standard soggy-towel legal disclaimer here***

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><p><strong>Omake: SumOfAllZeroes' UBER- SPECIAL 18TH B-DAY SPECIAL<strong>

* * *

><p>Shepard walked into the front hall of his home on Rannoch. After all his years of service to the military, the Alliance and Council hosted a joint honorable discharge ceremony for him. The entirety of the Normandy's crew were viewed as heroic in their efforts to save the galaxy. Tali, as an admiral, was exalted by the fleet for Shepard's actions to create peace between geth and quarians, and was also given status as 'Admiral of Rannoch'.<p>

Additionally, the geth extended an offer to build Tali and Shepard's home first. Tali stated that other quarians needing homes took top priority.

Needless to say, 3,000 Rannochian homes were erected in little over a month, including the newly dubbed 'Shepard Homestead'.

Tali rose from the living room couch.

"Welcome home, Shepard." The quarian planted a quick kiss on the ex-commander's lips.

"Good to be back, Tali." Shepard shrugged off his cold weather jacket.

"Hey Shep, where do ya keep the ice cream? I'm starving over here."

"Why do you want ice cream at 10 pm on Christmas Eve?" Both girls stared at Shepard like he'd grown a new head.

"What's a 'Christmas Eve', Shepard?" Both asked simultaneously.

"Oh, I forgot. Quarians don't know about Earth holidays." Shepard cleared his throat.

"I think I heard of something like a 'good Yule' or whatever." Jack stated.

"Well, it's a long story, so I'd recommend getting food or anything you might need now."

**(Ten minutes later…)**

"Alright, so what's this 'Krampus' thing you were jabbering on about?" Jack asked, nonchalantly tossing popcorn into Tali's open mouth.

"Well, Christmas is an established holiday in the Local Cluster taking place over 48 hours; first comes Christmas Eve, then comes Christmas Day. It's not actually an original holiday so much as an adopted one."

"Why's that?"

"It was originally descended from the Pagan holiday of Yule, which took place on the winter solstice, which just so happened to have descended from the Roman holiday of Saturnalia."

"What does it entail?" Tali asked, sipping at a glass of tea through a str- pardon me, emergency induction port.

"The celebration usually encompassed the overall theme of charity through gift-giving, storytelling and plenty of food. Mom and I used to serve up fresh venison for Christmas dinner, mainly because it was what was readily available, but that's not the point. The point was that it was something we did together as a family." Jack gave a small purr of intrigue.

"Well, what should our family tradition be?" Shepard smiled, before producing a weathered book from his home's automated inventory system.

"This was the Shepard family's original tradition. "

"A book?" Shepard ran a hand across the book, revealing a title that read "The Night Before Christmas".

"It originally belonged to my great-great-granddad." Tali hummed knowingly, as she and Jack sat by him on his couch. Shepard opened the book, beginning to read:

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.'

"Uh, Shep...What's a mouse?" Shepard looked confused.

"You've never seen a mouse? Small little thing, goes around eating practically anything?"

"I know dock rats. Are they like that?" Shepard nodded in confirmation, turning back to the book.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

"Saint Nicholas?" Jack inquired.

" He was a mythical gift-giver that parents would tell their children about. Legend went that he would go on a trip around the world on Christmas Eve, leaving gifts for all the children of the world." Jack silently nodded, her curiosity sated for the moment.

* * *

><p>The children were nestled all snug in their beds,<p>

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!

On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes - how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

"HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!" '

* * *

><p>Shepard glanced at the girls on each side, both fast asleep. At this, Shepard gave a small smile. After wrapping a blanket around all three of them, Shepard clicked off the lights and hugged the girls closer to him.<p>

For Shepard and his family, their part of the story of life came to a peaceful denouement. For one family on Rannoch, peace ruled the day. So it would be for the rest of the Normandy's crew.

End transmission.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **Annnd that's a wrap, folks! A Dream Beyond The Stars wrapped up in a neat little present box for all of you as...well as a post-18th birthday-gift from me to you, because the people reading this all matter, at least in part, to me. Again, comment, follow and favorite if you enjoy. Message me any suggestions or questions you may have and have a wonderful day!

Happy MLK Day!

**\M/-Zero-\M/**


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